Boiler not working? Try this first.

[tthew]

Advice from me to you, which makes a change! There has been a massive spate of boilers packing up around here recently due to the cold weather. In almost all cases this is because the condensation pipe has blocked up with ice.

If your's goes chips during the next few, (bleeding freezing) weeks check this out first, and possibly save yourself a bill. The condensate pipe is generally made of plastic and drains to an outside grid*

* - usual disclaimers apply to this description

 

[PNL]

Are you a heating engineer..

 

[tthew]

Hell, if I were, I'd not be giving that advice for 'nowt!

No, just trying to offer a bit of payback for the advice I've had on here in the past, (including today) as I know sod all about fixing Fiats.

 

[Dominion]

You are absolutely right (although I'm no engineer either).

My mate (who is a heating engineer) tipped me off about this today. More and more people are getting condensing boilers these days so it's quite a common problem in weather like this.

Good work for letting the masses know, tthew

 

[tom johnston]

It is a common problem this time of year, although some pipe lagging (22mm inner bore) will offer a surprising ammount of help. You can pick it up from B&Q and is relitavly cheap. Also your condensate pipe should have a 2 degree slope on a horizontal surface. Incorrectly installed pipework has a nasty habit of clogging up, and freezing.

 

[custard]

well since this is a heating thread......
our boilers been playing up since the cold spell
heating works but when you turn on the hot tap it doesnt always flick over (IYKWIM) to heat the water
this stopped when we had a mild spell so im wondering if its a low temp issue?
its a glowworm compact electronic if that means anything

 

[rallycinq]

My old boiler hasn't worked to my satisfaction for years!

Cheers

SPD

 

[arseofbox]

Further to this, a mate of mine was having issues with his boiler cutting out.

Condensate drain pipe checked and de-iced - it was iced but in the wrong places to block it and not enough of it.

Problems were traced to a sensor (thermocouple maybe) in the condensate drain line getting moist (its a 'static' sensor, not a 'total' sensor - if my compressor aero serves me right)